Early help conversation and plan
Early help conversation
The Early Help Conversation (EHC) and Plan is Swindon’s process for supporting children, young people and families with additional needs. The aim of the EHC is to identify children and young people’s needs early and provide the right help at the right time whilst keeping the family at the heart of all the planning of support.
During the discussion the worker and the family (including the child where appropriate) will consider the needs of the child or young person and take the following approach to support:
- Child First
- Think Family
- Community
The intention is for all children, irrespective of their circumstances, to have the best start in life, to grow up safe, stable and healthy, to fulfil their potential and contribute to their community.
The Early Help Conversation and Plan is part one of a process that aims to empower parents and provide a timely, graduated response to avoid escalation.
How does the process work?
The practitioner who identifies a child’s needs consent from the young person, parent or carer to engage in the conversation, following which he or she coordinates an Early Help Conversation and Plan and, if appropriate, initiates a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting.
The purpose of the TAF meeting is to bring together practitioners with the appropriate skills to meet the identified needs of the child and develop a support plan.
The parents and practitioners (and children where appropriate) will agree the most appropriate person to undertake the Lead Professional role (this is the person that will co-ordinate the support for the family through a trusted relationship). Actions will be identified and regular reviews undertaken, with the focus on a child-centred approach, positive engagement with the family, increased community involvement and collaboration between agencies.
Statutory needs assessment and the Education, Health and Care Plan
The Early Help Conversation and Plan should be used by early years settings, schools and colleges as part of the graduated response to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) to record, monitor and evaluate provision, intervention and progress against outcomes set.
This can then be used as a basis and evidence for statutory assessment for an Education and Health Care Plan if this is required in the future.
- Early Help Conversation template (August 2024) (Word document)
- Early Help review template (August 2024) (Word document)
- Early Help Conversation guidance (PDF)
- Early Help Plan template (August 2024) (Word document)
- Child's voice
Useful resources
- Identifying special educational needs
- Education, health and care plan
- Health assessment
- Short breaks
- DfE guide for parents
- Swindon good practice guide (Word document)
Our continued commitment to the improvement of the current early help model is laid out in the following strategy document:
